The Unexpected Guests
by Ratin8tor
Summary: For Bighead98 After 'Hell Bent', the Doctor is quite tired and wants to relax...too bad four unicorns, 3 of them winged, say otherwise. Basically, a miscasted spell caused Twilight, Cadence, Luna, and Celestia to land in the TARDIS and are stuck there until their magic fully returns.
1. Chapter 1

The console room had never felt so empty.

The man sat on the upper level, absent-mindedly strumming his guitar as he gazed at nothing in particular, his eyebrows furrowed in a perpetual statement of grumpiness. Around him the majestic machine groaned and wheezed, echoing the empty halls.

He'd lost track of how long he'd been sitting there for. Minutes, hours, maybe days. He let the TARDIS do her thing, wander around the universe, while he sat and thought of better times he could barely remember, with nothing more than a name and a brief glimpse to go on.

Two thousand years, and here he was, all alone. Hearts broken and tired. So very tired. A whole universe out there, and no one to show it to. No one to show off to. It was clear at this point that the universe had just run out of surprises.

Which made it all the more surprising when a bright flash of purple light lit up the control room, only to be quickly filled with four very strange creatures.

The Doctor was on his feet in a flash, running down the stairs, hands ready to fly at the controls.

"Oh no no no no no," he said in a thick Scottish growl, practically barking the words out. "I don't like this, I don't like this at all."

"Very good Twilight," said the tallest creature. "Your teleportation spell was certainly… effective."

"I'm sorry Princess Celestia," said the shortest creature. "I didn't know Rainbow Dash was going to perform another Sonic Rainboom so soon."

"No, none of this," said the Doctor, pulling a few levers and checking the TARDIS' internal scanners. "Out. Get out. Now. Go."

"Well I don't that's very polite," said the third creature.

"Polite?" said the Time Lord in shock. "You're the ones who have just appeared in my TARDIS unannounced. One unicorn and three… winged unicorns?"

"Alicorns," said the fourth creature.

"No, sorry, I'm just not retaining that," said the Doctor. "That's just not going in. I can't accept that, not for a moment."

"What is going on here sister?" asked the black alicorn.

"I do not know Luna," admittedly the white alicorn. "It appears that Twilight's teleportation spell has taken us far away from Equestria."

"Again, I'm so sorry," said the purple unicorn.

"Oh it's okay Twilight," said the pink alicorn in a comforting tone of voice. "We all make mistakes."

"Yes," snarled the Doctor, "and the biggest mistake you've made is turning up on my ship. You lot, you're worse than the Titanic and the bride put together. At least they made sense."

"This certainly seems to be a strange place," said the pink alicorn. "What do you call it, Mister..."

"Doctor," said the Doctor. "The Doctor, to be specific. And whom might I be addressing in this instance?"

"Well I'm Cadance," said the pink alicorn, "that's Twilight" (the purple unicorn sheepishly grinned), "and they're Princess Luna and Princess Celestia."

"Oh, they're princess', are they?" said the Doctor mockingly. "I wasn't aware I was in the company of royalty. Your majesties." He bowed deeply, but the mockery was clear in his body language.

"I do not like this Doctor," said Luna. "He seems very strange."

"I'm strange?" said the Doctor, pointing to himself. "Have you looked in the mirror? You're a purple winged unicorn with stars in her mane and you think I'm strange?"

"It appears we've been getting off on the wrong hoof," said Celestia. "First off, I apologize for intruding."

"Oh that's very nice," said the Doctor. "Now if you could just kindly leave, I can get about-"

"That brings us to my second point," said Celestia sheepishly. "It appears that our magic isn't working at the moment."

The Doctor stopped in mid-step, his right foot hovering just centimetres above the ground as he comprehended everything that he had just seen and heard in the last few moments.

"Doctor?" asked Cadance, concerned for this strange being's sudden frozenness. With a quick spin on his heel the Doctor was striding toward the rainbow-maned alicorn.

"There's no such thing as magic," he said, pointing an accusatory finger at Celestia.

"Then how do you explain us getting here?" asked Luna.

"I've yet to determine what you really are," retorted the Doctor. "Some psychic pollen perhaps, or some clever scheme by the Master to hi-jack the TARDIS. If you're escaped specimens from the Rani's lab so help me-"

"We're from Equestria," said Twilight.

"Never heard of it," said the Doctor, before making it clear he was about to go on ranting again. Cadance, however, quickly cut him off.

"Is it possible that you have a map of some kind, so that we can work out where we are?" she asked hopefully.

"I have maps of all of time and space," said the Doctor. "And I can tell you for certain that Equestria isn't on any of them."

"You do?" asked Twilight, eagerly. "Where do you keep them?"

"On my ship, of course? Well else would I keep them?"

"And where is your ship?"

"You're on it?"

"This is a ship?"

"Of sorts. Now as I was saying-"

"You have a library on your boat?" squeed Twilight.

"Spaceship, actually," said the Doctor absent-mindedly. "Well, Time and Space Ship, to be precise."

Twilight let out a gasp of joy that was quickly hushed by Cadance, knowing full well that if Twilight got her hands on a time machine she'd never get her home again in time for bed.

"So this ship travels through time and space?" asked Celestia.

"My TARDIS, yes. Now I remember one Toymaker who was known for this sort of thing-"

"So isn't it possible that Equestria does or must exist at some point, and you are unaware of it?" The Doctor closed his mouth, thinking hard.

"And given the range of Twilight's teleportation spell," continued Celestia, "it's entirely possible that you are near it now without being aware of it."

"I have let the TARDIS drift aimlessly," mused the Doctor. "And it's certainly possible, I will conceive."

"So then," concluded Celestia. "If you just wait here, our magic will be recharged soon and we'll be on our way. Unless you'd rather take us with you to explore the universe."

"No no," said the Doctor. "I don't need any more companions, thank you very much. I have- had one already."

"Had?" asked Twilight. "What happened to her."

"She had to go," said the Doctor. "Or at least I think she had to. Truth be told I can't remember any more. Neuro blockers, they play havoc with one's mind."

"I'm sorry," said Twilight, offering out a hoof for sympathy. The Doctor coldly ignored it.

"So, saying what you've said is true, and not the result of my mind being invaded by some alien parasite, how long, exactly, will it take for your magic to recharge?"

"A few hours," said Cadance. "If the four of us work together, we should be able to match Twilight's power and be able to get out of here just fine."

"A few hours," said the Doctor bitterly. "Honestly, this is worst than when the Sontarans invaded my ship."

"Why don't you tell us a bit about yourself, Doctor?" suggest Cadance.

"I'm a two thousand year-old Time Lord who stole a TARDIS to travel the universe, a ship that is currently being occupied by four very annoying horses that I just wish would leave me alone."

"Well technically I'm a pony-" began Twilight.

"I don't care what you are," snarled the Doctor. "I just want to be left alone." With that he pulled a lever, the TARDIS letting out a shuddering thud.

"What did you do?" asked Luna.

"We've landed," said the Doctor.

"Where?" asked Celestia.

"Well if you came from near here, then wherever we've landed must be where you've come from. Now, if you'll kindly leave, I can get back to my peace and quiet."

"If you say so," said Celestia. "Come along everyone, we'll leave this nice Doctor in peace."

"But don't you want to come, Doctor?" asked Twilight.

"I'm fine here, thank you very much," said the Doctor irritably. "You go off and do whatever it is you horses do with your spare time, and I'll be on my way." He watched as his four uninvited guests left his home, before turning back to the console.

"Shields on maximum," he muttered to himself, before preparing the TARDIS to take off. With one simple movement he pushed the lever… only to find nothing happening. With a scowl he tried again, only to be met with yet more silence.

"Oh what is it now," he said irritably, pressing more buttons on his console. "Nowhere?" he continued, glaring at the read-out. "How can we be nowhere?"

"Doctor," said a voice outside his TARDIS. "You might want to have a look at this." The Doctor threw open the TARDIS doors… to be met with an empty nothingness. The four equestrians didn't need the Doctor to say anything, the shock and fear on his face said more than enough.

"What is it, Doctor?" asked Twilight anyway.

"I don't know how," said the Doctor slowly, "and I don't know why, but somehow we've ended up in the Land of Fiction."

"So?" asked Luna impatiently.

"It means," explained the Doctor exasperatedly, "that unless I do something very, very clever, we're trapped here… forever".


	2. Chapter 2

"Doctor," asked Luna impatiently. "Are you going to let us back into your ship."

"Oh no no no," came a voice from inside the TARDIS, projected outwards by some unseen speakers. "I'm not letting you lot anywhere near my TARDIS. I mean winged unicorns? Clearly that's a work of fiction right there."

"And a two thousand year old alien in a time and space machine isn't fictional?" pointed out Candance. There was silence from the TARDIS, before the doors swung open again.

"Admittedly when put like that it does seem a bit far-fetched," said the Doctor slowly. "But I'm convinced of my existence."

"As are we," said Celestia.

"Oh well I'm sure you are," said the Doctor. "Just how robots might not know they're robots until you show them the wires running through their body. But as it stands, how can I trust something that clearly isn't real."

"We are asking ourselves the same question," said Luna drily.

"Why are we trapped here, Doctor?" asked Twilight, concerned that the sheer emptiness of the void and the lack of books therein would soon drive her mad.

"Because we're currently somewhere that doesn't exist and should never exist," explained the Doctor slowly, as if speaking to a child. "And if you're somewhere that's not meant to exist, soon you'll be something that doesn't exist. So if I don't get my TARDIS working, I'll be trapped here along with the rest of you."

"You're not going to take us with you?" asked Twilight in shock.

"Why ever would I do that? As I said, you're clearly fictional beings."

"But you can't just leave us here. However will we survive?"

"Oh no doubt you'll pop out of existence the moment I stop thinking about you," said the Doctor absent-mindedly.

"And if you pop out of existence when we stop thinking about you?" asked Luna. The Doctor paused, considering the idea.

"Well I wouldn't know either way, will I. Now if you'll excuse me, I have a TARDIS to fix."

"Will magic help," asked Celestia helpfully.

"As I've said before," said the Doctor, agitated, "magic does not exist."

"Neither do unicorns and alicorns, by your account," pointed out Luna. "And yet, here we are."

"It wouldn't hurt to try, would it Doctor?" asked Candance hopefully.

The Doctor said nothing, mulling the situation over in his head. Finally he came to a decision.

"Oh all right then," he said sourly, opening up the TARDIS doors and ushering the equestrians inside. "But if this doesn't work than I'm leaving you here."

"And if we can teleport home we'll do the same," replied Luna.

"Deal," said the Doctor absent-mindedly, as he got to work.

"Are you sure all this is necessary," asked Candance, as her eyes went cross-eyed looking at the wires being attached to her horn.

"Quite sure," said the Doctor. "You need to feed all your power to the TARDIS' main power conduits. That should give us enough of a kick-start to get us moving and, hopefully, get you home."

"Get us home?" asked Twilight excitedly.

"Well if a colossal burst of energy got you here, it's entirely reasonable to think that another burst of energy will send you right back, with my ship along with it. If all four of you focus on teleporting back to your home, then I'll at least be back in real space-time."

"And you're sure this will work?" asked Luna cautiously.

"Not in the slightest," said the Doctor. "But it's better than nothing. So on the count of three get ready to charge up. One… Two… Three!" The Doctor slammed down a lever as the four horses powered up, the light quickly engulfing the TARDIS. The Doctor shielded his eyes, wishing he'd thought to grab his sonic sunglasses, as everything went a blinding white…

When the Doctor could see again, his four-legged companions were exactly where he left them. Which clearly up the question of whether they were fictional or not. He quickly checked his instruments, relieved to find that he was occupying a real part of space-time. He didn't recognize the co-ordinates, but it didn't matter. At least he was in his own universe.

"Did it work, Doctor?" asked Twilight hopefully.

"We're somewhere real, if that's what you're saying," said the Doctor. "Fortunately the TARDIS is going to take time to recharge its batteries. A good twenty-four hours I think."

"Where are we?" asked Celestia.

"I don't know," admitted the Doctor. "But there's only one way to find out." Confidently he strolled forward and flung the doors open… only to fail to recognize the town that lay out before him. His companions, however, let out a gasp of joy.

"Doctor," said Candance. "We're home!"


	3. Chapter 3

"It's Ponyville," said Twilight happily. "Just how we left it!"

"You called the town Ponyville?" asked the Doctor incredulously.

"That's the first thing you notice?" replied Luna.

"I have seen more things on Heaven and Earth than dreamt of in your philosophy," misquoted the Doctor, before adding "I gave that line to him, you know? Shakespeare never got it right unfortunately."

"I do not see why we should shake spears…" said Candance slowly.

"Are you going to join us, Doctor?" asked Celestia.

"What, out there? In a place so sickeningly sweet I feel ill just looking at it? No thank you. I'm going to stay here and wait for the TARDIS to recharge."

"Fair enough," said Celestia, ushering her companions out. They'd barely gone a few steps beyond the door before they heard it slam behind them. They turned to see the Doctor turning the key to lock his TARDIS, before looking at his equestrian companions.

"Well since I'm stuck here," he said, half-heartedly gesturing to the TARDIS. "I mean, it won't hurt to see some of the place. Just for a short while."

"Ooh, what are you?" came a strange voice. The Doctor and the four ponies turned to see a pink pony come bouncing towards them.

"It appears I have made a mistake," said the Doctor, as he surveyed the strange being in front of you. "I, madam, am a Time Lord. While you're a pink pony with cotton candy for hair and a picture of a balloon on my flank."

"That's a cutie mark, silly," said the pink pony. "And I'm Pinkie Pie. I'm Twilight's friend."

"Evidently," said the Doctor, deciding that now was not the time to ask about the strange 'cutie mark' things he saw before him.

"We've never had a Time Lord round here before," said Pinkie excitedly. "Where are you from?"

"Gali-" began the Doctor, but stopped. "A long way from here," he finished.

"Ooh, it must be pretty far. How long are you staying here for?"

"Only twenty-four hours." With that the pink pony lept into the air in a way the Doctor had never thought anatomically possible, letting out a high-pitch shriek.

"Oh my goodness," she said. "I have to get ready. Stay right there, I'll be right back." And with that she disappeared, leaving only a cloud of dust behind.

There was silence amongst the group as they watched the Doctor carefully. Sure enough the ghost of a grin crept across his face, although it was quickly replaced with his familiar scowl.

"Well, there's no time like the present," said the Doctor, strolling forwards. "You might as well show me the rest of this Ponyville."

"Right this way then, Doctor," beamed Twilight. "I can't wait to show you all of my friends."

"No, I'm sorry, this will not do," said a white unicorn haughtily, as she surveyed the strange being in front of her.

"What's wrong with me?" asked the Doctor angrily.

"Darling, there's nothing wrong with you. But those clothes… Whatever are you thinking? You look like some sort of cosmic hobo in them."

"I happen to like these clothes, thank you very much."

"Oh hush now, I'll get something sorted for you tonight. We must look our best for the party."

"Ah I seen some mighty weird creatures in my time," said the orange pony with a thick Southern drawl, "but I reckon you'd be one of the weirdest."

"How do you have an accent?" asked the Doctor. "Is there a southern here? Do lots of planets have a southern?"

"You have a mighty odd accent as well. Still, would you be liking one of my apples? Freshly picked."

"Thank you, but no. You know what they say about an apple a day. I've found it very counter-intuitive in my line of work."

An uncomfortable silence followed, broken only with a "Ee-yup"

"Obvious that's not a saying you've heard on this planet."

"Lions and tigers and bears oh my," said the Doctor, before breaking into a wide grin. "You know, I've always wanted to say that, and in two thousand years I've never managed to get a chance."

"Um, well, I'm glad you like my friends," said a yellow pegasus nervously. "Do you know lots about animals?"

"Oh this and that. I had a Rovie for a pet once. Well, until it got free and meddled with one of my time experiments at the academy. Oh you should have seen the look on old Borusa's face when the mouse suddenly de-evolved back into his lizard ancestry-" The Doctor trailed off, becoming quiet as he was left with his thoughts.

"Umm, Doctor?" asked the yellow pegasus.

"No, no, it's okay," said the Doctor, waving his hand as he waved away the memory. "Now, tell me, what else do you have?"

"Well I'll grant that you're fast," said the Doctor as he stood in the hot air balloon. "But are you fast enough to go back in time?"

"Oh please," said the blue pegasus with the rainbow mane. "Everyone knows that time travel is impossible."

"Is it indeed?" said the Doctor, surprised. "You've obviously never know what it's like to be a wanderer in the fourth dimension. Why in my TARDIS I can travel around the four galaxies and still be home in time for tea."

"How fast can your TARDIS thingy go then?"

"Ah, well, 'fast' is a somewhat misleading term when it comes to time travel. You see-" But it was too late. Rainbow Dash had come to recognize when one was about to go into a complicated lecture from being Twilight's friend, and knew when to skedaddle instead.

"Yes, well, none of my companions are ever interested in anyway," said the Doctor.

"Well this has certainly been an interesting experience," said the Doctor. "But if you'll forgive me I think I'll spend the night in the TARDIS."

"But what about the party?" asked Twilight, who had been looking after the Doctor while Celestia, Luna and Candance dealt with important matters elsewhere.

"Party?" replied the Doctor, his brow knitting a twelve-foot scarf in confusion.

"Yes, the party. The one that Pinkie Pie was going to hold for you."

"It has been only a few hours. I don't think she'd have time to get it ready."

"Then you obviously don't know Pinkie Pie," said Twilight with a chuckle. "Come. I can promise it'll be an experience you'll never forget."


	4. Chapter 4

If anyone happened to be wandering the streets of Ponyville late at night, they'd have seen a strange, bipedal creature slowly walking back to an equally strange wooden box that hadn't been there the day before.

The Doctor strolled towards his TARDIS, key in hand, mind deep in thought. What Twilight said was true, it certainly was an experience he'll never forget. Being surrounded by a herd of multi-coloured ponies who inexplicably knew the finer points on the culinary arts and interior decoration despite having opposable digits was certainly an eye opener. It helped explain how the Daleks managed to become a threat while equipped with a sink plunger, all things considered.

"Doctor," said a voice behind him. The Doctor paused at the door to his TARDIS, key in lock, head resting against it. Try as he might he knew his disappearance wouldn't go unnoticed.

"Yes, Twilight," said the Doctor, not turning round.

"Do you have to go so soon?" asked the purple unicorn.

"I'm afraid so," said the Doctor. "I have prior appointments to keep."

"But surely that's not a problem when you have a time machine?"

"Yes, but that's the thing about time. It keeps slipping away from you if you don't pay attention to it. Mustn't dilly-dally."

"Well it was lovely meeting you," said Twilight. "It's just..."

As the unicorn's voice trailed off the Doctor knew what was going to come next, knew the hurt that'd come from the inevitable rejection, knew he'd have to stay tough to avoid the disaster that was about to unfold.

"Could you take this book with you?" finished Twilight. The Doctor faltered, and turned slowly. Hovering in front of him, enveloped in a purple aura, was a book titled 'The Magic of Friendship'.

"It's one of my favourite books, but since I have several copies of it, I thought it might be a good addition to your library?"

The Doctor looked from the book to the unicorn, his hard expression softening. "Of course," he said softly, taking the book and leafing through it. One particular part caught his eye. As he opened it a picture fell out, a picture of him surrounded by the coloured ponies. He let out a small smile.

"I thought you'd want to come with me," said the Doctor.

"Oh no," said Twilight. "I have way too much to do here. I have to keep up with my studies. Maybe when I'm older, perhaps."

"I see," said the Doctor. "But I'm afraid I must be off now. Thank you."

"Thank you for getting us home," said Twilight, as the Doctor started to enter his TARDIS. "Oh, Doctor!" she shouted, before the door closed. The Doctor hovered expectantly in the archway.

"Find someone to travel with you," said Twilight. "You look so sad, being all alone in there. Everyone knows that friendship is what makes the travelling so fun."

"I will," said the Doctor softly, closing the door. As he strolled towards the console he left the book on the side, starting up the dematerialization sequence. It was over in a few seconds. The Doctor picked up the book and opened the TARDIS doors to see the empty expanse of the Land of Fiction, devoid of any existence. With a heavy heart the Doctor placed the book Twilight had given him on the white ground, knowing that he couldn't leave the Land of Fiction while carrying a piece of it. He returned to the console again and initiated the sequence once more, stopping briefly to open the doors and check to see that he was indeed in the vast emptiness of space.

As he sat back in his chair and picked up his guitar, he saw something out of the corner of his eye. A little purple unicorn toy was sitting on one of the shelves, next to a letter thanking the Doctor and Clara for helping them during the whole forest incident. The Doctor smiled and put the toy in his pocket, before returning back to his guitar. The music echoed the empty halls once more, but the look of grumpiness had turned to one of introspection. Of course Twilight, Cadance, Celestia, Luna and all of Ponyville were just fictional creations, images brought forth by his half-remembering a TV show he'd seen once. None of it was ever real. But that didn't mean it didn't matter, after all.

The End


End file.
